Cyperus polystachyos |
Cyperus lecontei |
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many-spike flatsedge |
Le Conte's flatsedge |
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Habit | Herbs, perennial (annual?), cespitose. | Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous, with stolons, lacking tubers. |
Culms | trigonous or ± terete, (3–)20–45(–70) cm × (0.8–) 1.2–2 mm, glabrous. |
trigonous, 10–50 cm × 1–3 mm. |
Leaves | (2–) 6–10(–16), flat to V-shaped, (2–) 10–30(–60) cm × 1–4 mm. |
flat to V-shaped, 10–40 cm × 2–5 mm. |
Inflorescences | spike 1, loosely ovoid to densely turbinate, 12–40 × 10–25 mm; rachis 3–10 mm; rays 1–8(–12), 0.5–3(–6) cm; 2d order rays absent; if rays absent, inflorescence single dense cluster of spikelets, 12–40 mm diam.; bracts (3–)4–6(–7), horizontal to ascending at 45°, flanged V-shaped, (2–)5–15(–23) cm × 1–4 mm. |
heads digitate, 10–40 mm diam.; rays 5–12, 1–12 cm; 2d order rays 1–3 cm; bracts 3–5, horizontal, flat to V-shaped, 1–15 cm × 1–2 mm. |
Spikelets | (5–)15–30(–40), spreading to appressed-ascending, linear-lanceoloid to linear, compressed, 8–18(–40) × (1–)1.3–1.6(–2) mm; floral scales (8–)12–25(–66), laterally stramineous to light brown, medially green, laterally ribless, medially 3–5-ribbed, oblong, (1.5–)1.8–2.4 × (1–)1.2–1.4 mm, apex acute to ± acute, mucronate. |
(1–)2–4(–6), oblong to linear, compressed, 5–25 × 2.8–3.6 mm; floral scales 20–60, stramineous or reddish green, laterally weakly 3-ribbed, ovate-elliptic, 2.5–3 × 1–1.8 mm. |
Flowers | stamens 2; anthers (0.4–)0.5–0.8 mm, connective not prolonged; styles 0.6–1(–1.4) mm; stigmas (1–)1.4–2 mm. |
stamens 3; anthers 1–1.3 mm; styles 0.6 mm; stigmas 1.5 mm. |
Achenes | light to dark brown, oblong, (0.8–)0.9–1.1(–1.2) × 0.4–0.5(–0.6) mm, base cuneate to ± stipelike, apex truncate, apiculate, surfaces punctate to minutely punctate with raised cells. |
reddish brown, sessile, ovoid, 0.7–0.8 × 0.4–0.5 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate or not, surfaces glabrous. |
Cyperus polystachyos |
Cyperus lecontei |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer–early fall. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Shores, ditches, swales between dunes | Emergent shorelines |
Elevation | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) | 0–100(–300) m (0–300(–1000) ft) |
Distribution |
AL; DC; DE; FL; GA; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MS; NC; NJ; NY; OK; PA; SC; TX; VA; WV; Mexico; Central America; South America; Asia; Africa
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AL; FL; LA; MS; NC; SC
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Discussion | Cyperus polystachyos is polymorphic. Adequate understanding of the infraspecific variations of C. polystachyos requires a worldwide examination, which is beyond the scope of this study. The segregates, C. fugax and C. filicinus, are recognized here; they have been usually accepted by recent workers (e.g., M. L. Fernald 1950; H. A. Gleason and A. Cronquist 1991). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 160. | FNA vol. 23, p. 151. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycreus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. brizaeus, C. polystachyos var. leptostachyus, Pycreus polystachyos | C. dentatus var. multiradiatus, C. multiradiatus |
Name authority | Rottbøll: Descr. Pl. Rar., 21. (1772) | Torrey ex Steudel: Syn. Pl. Glumac. 2: 21. (1855) |
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